Our friend Jeff Sherman, a Brooklyn-based architect, has come up with perhaps the ultimate leather cabinet pull. Cost? Nothing more than an old belt and a couple of screws. Here's his story:
"You can see it's just cut from an old belt of mine, the edges darkened with shoe polish, and fastened with Sheetrock screws. I needed a handle that would collapse flat when the cabinet door opens 180 degrees against the chalkboard wall. Aesthetically, I wanted something inconspicuous, since the door was meant to look like a continuation of the chalkboard wall. And the handle had to be sturdy and comfortable; the door is big and heavy and hides my jam-packed pantry, so I open it a dozen times a day. On all fronts, the handle's been a great success."
N.B.: See more of Jeff's work at Delson or Sherman Architects; for a video tour of his Brooklyn abode, go to Dwell.
Above: "I used an X-Acto knife to cut the belt to the right size," Jeff says.
Above: The edges are finished with shoe polish.